"The war," he said, "emancipated and made citizens of five million people who had been slaves.

This was a national act and whether wisely or imprudently done it must be respected by the people of all the States.

If sought to be reversed in any degree by the people of any locality it is the duty of the national government to make their act respected by all its citizens." Republican party platforms reiterated such opinions long after their practical futility had become manifest.

Indeed, it was a matter of common knowledge that negro suffrage had been undone by force and fraud; hardly more than a perfunctory denial of the fact was ever made in Congress, and meanwhile it was a source of jest and anecdote among members of all parties behind the scenes.

Republican members were bantered by Democratic colleagues upon the way in which provision for Republican party advantage in the South had actually given to the Democratic party a solid block of sure electoral votes.